1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a digital camera having a continuous photographing function and relates to a method for management of image files created at continuous photographing.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been known digital cameras having a continuous photographing mode for continuously photographing an object. In recent years, with speed-up of image sensors and with speed-up of image processing processors, it becomes possible to record a large number of files at one continuous photographing shot. With increase of recording medium capacity, it also becomes possible to record an enormous number of image files into one recording medium.
A DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) standard, which is one of standards of image storage methods for digital cameras, stipulates that a file number should be added to each image file and a folder number (directory number) should be added to each folder (directory) into which image files are stored.
As techniques to manage a large number of image files according to the DCF standard, there have been proposed a method for creating a new folder each time continuous photographing is performed and for storing image files into the created folder (see, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 11-341421), a method for recording files while adding continuous-photographing IDs to header parts of these files (see, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-143020), and a method for renaming folders with folder names not conforming to the DCF standard when an upper limit of the number of folders or of files stipulated in the DCF standard is reached (see, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-158645).
With a digital camera having a continuous photographing function, an enormous number of image files are created each time continuous photographing is performed. On the other hand, the DCF standard has upper limits of the number of folders and of files up to which folder and files can be created in one recording medium. In other words, the techniques disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications Nos. 11-341421 and 2005-143020 pose a problem that it becomes impossible to further store image files, if the number of created folders or of created files exceeds the upper limit of the number of folders or of files stipulated in the DCF standard.
The DCF standard stipulates that a folder number should be added to each folder name and a file number should be added to each file name. The folder number and the file number are generally increased in the order in which files are stored. With the techniques disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications Nos. 11-341421, 2005-143020, and 2003-158645, when continuously photographed images are browsed by using a PC (personal computer) or the like, a problem is posed that many very similar images are continuously reproduced since the continuously photographed images have similar names.